Weaving machine

ABSTRACT

A suction nozzle is movably mounted at one side of the shed of the loom, and is provided with mechanism for displacing the suction nozzle, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from an active position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position. A locking device is provided for retaining the suction nozzle in such end position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus is provided for releasing the locking device at the beginning of a succeeding reverse movement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to its active position.

United States Patent Theodorus Fransen Deurne, Netherlands Sept. 3, 1968May 25, 1971 N. V. Machinefabriek L. Te Strake Deurne, Netherlands Sept.1 5, 1967 Netherlands Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented AssigneePriority WEAVING MACHINE 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,225,794 12/1965 Juillard139/266 3,258,038 6/1966 Ancet et al. 139/302 3,376,903 4/1968 Golobart139/302 Primary Examiner-Henry S. J audon Attorney-Marshall and YeastingABSTRACT: A suction nozzle is movably mounted at one side of the shed ofthe loom, and is provided with mechanism for displacing the suctionnoule, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from anactive position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position.A locking device is provided for retaining the suction nozzle in suchend position during the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, andapparatus is provided for releasing the locking device at the beginningof a succeeding reverse movement of the reed to permit the suctionnozzle to return to its active position.

m gun,

Patented May 25, 1971 4 3,580,293

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 25, 1971 3,580,293

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to aweaving machine in which wefts are drawn from stationary thread packagesand in which a suction noale is situated at at least one side of theshed between the reed and the cloth beam, for taking up the free ends ofthe wefts projecting outside of the shed and the cloth.

In weaving machines in which wefts are drawn from stationary threadpackages the weft insertion in mostly performed by means of a gripper orby means of jet action of a fluid. When now the weft just inserted inthe shed is to be beaten against the bank of fabric by means of the reedthe weft must have a tensioned condition. At that side of the shed fromwhich the weft has been inserted the weft is still in connection withthe thread package, and the holding of the weft at this place does notgive any problems because in order to keep a tension on the weft it canbe clamped at this side of the shed. At the opposite side of the shed,however, the leading end of the weft is entirely free and this end mustalso be held in some way in order to keep the weft under tension.

Suction nozzles have been mostly provided for this purpose, whichsuction nozzles mostly have been fastened on supports connected to thelay swords of the reed and as a result the suction nozzles are subjectedto the beating movement of the reed. The leading end of the weft justinserted into the shed enters the suction nozzle and the weft which wasclamped at the opposite side of the shed will be tensioned by thesuction action of the suction nozzle.

When an inserted weft has been beaten up into the fabric and the shedhas been changed, the weft is held between the warp threads, and thesuction nozzle has fulfilled its function so that the nozzle can moveback together with the reed in order to be prepared for taking up theleading end of the next weft which is to be inserted into the shed.

Such suction nozzles are very suitable when the weft is to be insertedinto the shed only from one side of this shed. In such a case alaunching device for the weft has been positioned at one side of theshed whereas the suction nozzle which will be operative during each weftinsertion has been arranged at the opposite side of the shed.

When however wefts are to be inserted from both sides of the shed, i.e.,a first weft is to be inserted into the shed from one side and the nextweft is to be inserted from the other side of the shed a suction nozzlehas to be situated at both sides of the shed. This means that a suctionnozzle would be in the path of theweft at that side from which the weftis to be inserted. For this reason the suction nozzle must be displacedindependently of the beating stroke of the reed, (second occurrence) isto say, that each suction nozzle must have a reciprocal and periodicalmovement which is just half of the number of beating strokes of the reedin order to bring the suction nozzle out of the path of the weft to beinserted at the side of the shed from which the weft will be launched.For this reason a stationary arrangement of the suction nozzle is notdesired. On the other hand it is advisable that the suction nozzle movetogether with the reed during its beating stroke in order to keep theweft tensioned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide aweaving machine in which a suction noule can be displaced by the reed,which suction nozzle will not remain in the path of the weft to beinserted in the shed at that side of the shed where the weft is to belaunched.

According to the invention this is attained in a weaving machine whichis characterized in that a suction noule is movably mounted with respectto the reed, which suction nozzle can be held in an end position bymeans of a locking device, and which suction nozzle cooperates with astriking device and a driver which can be activated in such a mannerthat the suction nozzle moves together with the beating movement of thereed and is locked in its end position whereas the driver frees thesuction nozzle from its locked end position and moves the suction nozzleback at a subsequent reversal stroke of the reed.

Now the suction noule can be displaced by the reed during its beatingstroke, whereas the suction nozzle does not immediately return at thereversal stroke of the reed but remains out of the path of the weft tobe inserted into the shed when at that particular side of the shed aweft is to be launched. As a fixed situation of the suction nozzle onthe reed is not used, it is possible to vary the width of the fabric ata given length of the reed. In such a case no warp thread is insertedbetween the blades of the reed at the end thereof when the fabric shouldhave less width. It is however recommended to position the suction noulenear the outer warp thread and this will be possible in a weavingmachine according to the invention, because the suction nozzle can beslidable in a guide and has the shape of a block provided with suctionopenings, and an arm of a resilient supporting device is connected tothe block, whereas the guide together with an arm of the supportingdevice is mounted in such a manner that they can be adjusted in adirection parallel to the weft.

According to the invention the suction nozzle can be used for fixationof the free ends of the weft after the wefts have been beaten up intothe fabric in order to cut the free ends from the fabric because thesuction noule can be locked in its end position near the fabric. Inorder to perform this the weaving machine according to the invention isadapted in such a manner that the suction nozzle has the shape of aslidable block provided with a slot-shaped suction opening at that sideof the block which is directed towards the fabric which suction openingcooperates with a notch situated in the guide for the block, in whichnotch a cutter known per se has been situated for cutting the free endsof the wefts.

A practical embodiment of a weaving machine according to the inventionis characterized in that the slidable block is provided with a suctionopening at one end, which suction opening merges into a slot at the sideof the block which is directed towards the fabric, whereas the suctionopening at the end of the block can be closed by means of a shuttermounted on the reed. Further, the weaving machine according to theinvention is adapted in such a manner that the arm of the support forthe block projects through a slot of an actuating member which can bemoved parallel to the direction of the warp, whereas the slot runsparallel to the direction of the wefts, and said actuating membercooperates with a strike member mounted on an arm of the reed, whereas acontrollable driving member can be controlled by a control device knownper se or a member cooperating with said control device for launching aweft.

An especial advantage of a weaving machine provided with suction nozzlesas described above is the screening of the launching device for the weftwhich is inoperative at one side of the shed when the suction nozzle hasbeen placed in its operative position, owing to which a weft which hasbeen inserted from the other side of the shed cannot be entered into theinoperative launching device. This advantage results when launchingdevices have been arranged, at both sides of the shed which launchingdevices can be alternately actuated for operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical perspectiveview of a suction nozzle according to the invention situated beside thetemple and one end of the reed of a weaving machine;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view of that part of the weaving machinewhich has been shown in FIG. 1, with the suction nozzle in section;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of a cutting device to be used inconjunction with the suction nozzle, seen from the side of the suctionnozzle;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the suction nozzle according to FIGS. 1 and2;

FIG. is a side view of the suction nozzle according to FIG. 2 seen fromthe side of the fabric, and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the suction nozzle, seen from the side avertedfrom the fabric.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I the reed 1is visible with its reed cap 2 and its lay beam 3. The ends of thevisible reed cap 2 and the lay beam 3 are fastened to lay swords 4, onlyone of which is shown in the drawing. The lay swords are mounted on a 5shaft which runs across the entire width of the loom and is pivotallymounted in each side frame thereof. The shaft 5 will be reciprocallyrotated over a small angle in a manner generally known, owing to whichthe lay swords 4 and the reed I perform the beating stroke and thereuponthe reversing stroke. The end of the shed 6a and 6b the selvage 6c ofthe fabric have been indicated by dot-and-dash-lines. A temple issituated near the side of the fabric indicated by the dot-and-dash-line6c which temple is formed by three temple rollers 7, cooperating with atemple frame 11, which presses the fabric 12 just woven onto the templeshown only in FIG. 2 rollers.

A mounting plate 9, carrying a slide track 10, supports a bracket 8(FIG. 2) which carries the temple rollers and the temple frame.

The mounting plate 9 is supported on the breast 13 beam (shown in FIG. 2but omitted from FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity) and is adjustable in adirection parallel to the wefts. The position of the mounting plate 9can be adjusted by means of bolts 14 which slidably fit into slots inthe breast beam 13, which bolts when fastened keep the mounting plate 9in its correct position.

The mounting plate 9 carries an arm 15 (FIG. 1) provided with a pin 16,and a spring 17, situated around the pin 16, has been inserted at one ofits ends into a hole in the pin 16, owing to which the spring has beensecured against turning around the pin 16. The spring 17 possesses anarm 17a and the end of that arm has been inserted into a recess 18 of asliding block 19. The spring 17 together with its arm 170 forms aresilient support for the sliding block 19 to hold the sliding block 19in slidable engagement with the slide 10. The shape of the recess 18 hasbeen indicated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, whereas FIG. 6 shows in which mannerthe end of the arm 17a fits in the recess 18. By the spring action ofthe spring 17 a supple guiding of the sliding block 19 has been obtainedand a considerable play in the driving of the sliding block is possiblebecause the sliding block is pressed always in one direction by theaction of the spring 17. The sliding block 19 which can shift in theslide 10 has been indicated in cross section in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thesliding block 19 is hollow and a number of openings have been providedin the walls of the block as appears from FIGS. 2 and 4. An opening 20has been provided in the end wall 19a of the sliding block. The opening20 forms a suction opening for the leading end of a weft which has justbeen inserted into the shed, which weft has been launched from the leftin FIGS. 1 and 2. The fresh weft which has just been launched has beenindicated by the reference numeral 23 in FIG. 2. The suction opening 20in the endwall 190 extends into the sidewall 19b of the sliding blockand merges into a slot-shaped opening 20a. The sidewall 19b is that wallof the sliding block which is directed towards the fabric. The sidewall19c averted from the fabric is provided with an opening 21, which mergesinto a slot-shaped opening 21a.

The opening 21 is in connection with a suction line 22 connected to. theslide 10. When the sliding block 19 is in an operative position, thusthat position in which the suction nozzle is operative during the weftinsertion, the entire area of the passage of suction air from thesuction opening 20 and the slot-shaped opening 20a through the interiorof the block 19 to the suction line 22 is obtained. The leading end of aweft 23 just inserted can now be drawn into the suction opening 20 asappears from FIG. 2. A part of the sidewall 190 is positioned in frontof the weft inserting device which is inoperative when the sliding block19 is in its operative position as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. A part ofthis weft inserting device, e.g., in the shape of a jet nozzle, has beenindicated with the reference numeral 24 in FIG. 2. When the wall coversthe front of the jet nozzle 24 the leading end of a weft 23 cannot enterthe weft inserting device 24. As mentioned above the leading end of theweft 23 just inserted into the shed will be drawn into the suctionopening 20 and into the hollow internal space of the sliding block 19.Thus the weft 23 will be tensioned by the suction action and when thereed 1 starts its beating movement the weft 23 will be beaten up in atensioned condition into the fabric 12. An actuator 25 which is formedintegrally with the lay sword 4 of the reed pushes against a controlmember in the shape of a pivotable arm 26 during the beating stroke ofthe reed. The control member 26 is pivotably mounted at 27 to a part 28of the frame of the weaving machine. As a result of the beating strokeof the reed 1 with the lay sword 4 the control member 26 will move alongthe fabric and parallel to the warp.

The control member 26 has been provided with a slot 29 and the supportarm 17a for the sliding block projects through this slot 29. When nowduring the beating stroke of the reed the control member is moved bymeans of the actuator 25 the sliding block 19 will be moved by thesupporting arm 17a which projects through the slot 29. When the reed 1arrives in its beating position and the sliding block 19 comes by theaction of the control member 26 in its end position a catch 30 of aresilient locking member 31 enters into a notch 32 in the upper wall ofthe sliding block 19.

When now the reed 1 with its lay swords 4 and the actuating member 25start the return stroke the actuator 25 comes free from the controlmember 26. The sliding block 19, however, will remain in its endposition by the action of the lock 31, as a result of which the slidingblock will not follow the return stroke of the reed. As a result of thisthe weft inserting device 24 is free and a weft can be inserted into theshed from the right side in the FIG.

As the free end of the weft 23, which was inserted previously, stillremains in the interior of the sliding block 19 when the sliding blockhas a position in which the catch 30 of the sliding block has a positionin which the catch 30 of the lock 31 rests in the notch 32, the suctionaction can be less than before, however, a suction action is stillnecessary. In this position of the sliding block the slot-shaped opening21a is in front of the mouth of the suction tube 22 and the free end 23of the weft remains in the slot-shaped suction opening 20a. The freeends of the previous wefts have been indicated by the reference numeral33 in FIG. 2. The reduction of the suction action is desirable in orderthat a maximum suction action of the suction nozzle at the opposite sideof the shed may be obtained with a relatively small capacity of thesuction device. When the tube 22 in the embodiment shown and the suctiontube of the suction nozzle at the opposite side of the shed (not shownare connected to the same suction device.

When the free 'ends 33 of the wefts remain in the slotshaped suctionopening 20a these ends enter a notch 34 of the mounting plate 9 when thefabric 12 is further wound up on the cloth beam. Further the wefts comeabove a first temple roller 7 and around the supporting shaft of thistemple roller a knife has been rotatably mounted. This knife cooperateswith the notch 34 in the mounting plate 9. The knife in the shape of adisc 35 possesses a notch 36 coinciding with the notch 34 and with oneof the edges thereof which is adapted as a knife edge. The knife 35 hasbeen diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3. By means of a spring 37 the disc35 is maintained in such a position that the notch 36 with the notch 34.The free ends 33 of the wefts which come into the notch 34 will alsocome into the notch 36. When now during the beating of the reed a cam 38which has been fastened to the lay sword 4 of the reed pushes against anarm 39 of the disc 35 the disc will rotate against the action of thespring 37 and the notch 36 will be displaced with regard to the notch34, as a result of which a knife edge of the notch 36 will pass theknife edge of the notch 34 and a cutting action is performed. Thus, theprojecting free ends 33 of the wefts are cut and the ends which comefree are removed to the tube 22. The arrangement of the cutting deviceat the first temple roller 7 has the advantage that the free ends 33 canbe cut very accurately at the end of the fabric.

When a weft has been inserted into the shed by the weft inserting device24 the sliding block has to be moved towards the reed in order to catchthe next weft 23 inserted into the shed from the opposite side of theshed. To perform this an ac tivator has been provided which draws thesliding block free from the lock 31 and the activator has the shape of apin 40 which can be displaced in an axial direction. Said pin can touchagainst a cam 41 of the control member 26. The pin 40 has been mountedin a guide 42 mounted on the shaft 5 of the reed. The pin 40 is a partof a control device for controlling the weft insertion. In theembodiment shown the pin 40 forms a part of a pushing rod forcontrolling blowing nozzles which have been situated on the lay beam 3of the reed. Depending on the direction in which a weft is to beinserted into the shed the pin 40 will have a retracted position or aposition in which it can strike against the cam 41 to actuate thecontrol member 26 for moving the sliding block 19 in the directiontowards the reed. When jet nozzles have been mounted on the lay beam ofthe reed the operation of the actuating member in the form of the pin 40is entirely automatic during the controlling of these jet nozzles. Whenhowever a weaving machine operates without any jet nozzles on the laybeam of the reed and the weft insertion is performed only from the sidesof the shed no pushing rod is present on the shaft 5 of the reed. [nsuch a case a control member is to be arranged on a part 28 of the frameof the weaving machine which control member in this case can cooperatewith the control member 26 in the same manner as described above. Thecontrolling by means of the controlling device for the weft insertingdevice results always in an automatic control of the sliding block.

It is advantageous to provide a cover 43 which is mounted on the laysword 4, which cover can close the suction opening at the end of thesliding block when the actuator engages the control member 26, owing towhich the suction opening 200 the sidewall of the block will be moreeffective.

I claim:

1. A weft end suction device for a shuttleless loom having areciprocable reed, comprising a suction nozzle movably mounted at oneside of the shed of the loom, mechanism for displacing the suctionnoule, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from anactive position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position,a locking device for retaining the suction nozzle in such end positionduring the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus forreleasing the locking device at the beginning of a subsequent reversemovement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to itsactive position.

2. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suctionnozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with suction openingsand with a resilient supporting device and is slidably mounted in'aguide, and wherein the guide and resilient supporting device areadjustable in a direction parallel to the weft.

3. A weft end suction device according to claim 2 wherein an actuatingmember, movable parallel to the warp, is driven by a strike membermounted on a lay sword of the reed, and is provided with a slotextending parallel to the weft through which an arm of the resilientsupporting device extends.

4. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suctionnoule is in the form of a block which is provided with a slot-shapedsuction opening in the side of the block that is directed toward thefabric, and is slidably mounted in a guide that is provided with a notchin alignment with the slotshaped suction opening and with a cutter forcutting free weft ends which enter the notch.

5. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein the suctionnozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with a suctionopening in one end merging into a slot-shaped suction opening in theside of the block that is directed toward the fabric, and wherein ashutter is mounted on the reed for closing the suction opening in theend of the block while the block is being displaced in synchronism witha beating movement of the reed.

1. A weft end suction device for a shuttleless loom having areciprocable reed, comprising a suction nozzle movably mounted at oneside of the shed of the loom, mechanism for displacing the suctionnozzle, in synchronism with a beating movement of the reed, from anactive position for receiving the free end of a weft to an end position,a locking device for retaining the suction nozzle in such end positionduring the succeeding reverse movement of the reed, and apparatus forreleasing the locking device at the beginning of a subsequent reversemovement of the reed to permit the suction nozzle to return to itsactive position.
 2. A weft end suction device according to claim 1wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which is providedwith suction openings and with a resilient supporting device and isslidably mounted in a guide, and wherein the guide and resilientsupporting device are adjustable in a direction parallel to the weft. 3.A weft end suction device according to claim 2 wherein an actuatingmember, movable parallel to the warp, is driven by a strike membermounted on a lay sword of the reed, and is provided with a slotextending parallel to the weft through which an arm of the resilientsupporting device extends.
 4. A weft end suction device according toclaim 1 wherein the suction nozzle is in the form of a block which isprovided with a slot-shaped suction opening in the side of the blockthat is directed toward the fabric, and is slidably mounted in a guidethat is provided with a notch in alignment with the slot-shaped suctionopening and with a cutter for cutting free weft ends which enter thenotch.
 5. A weft end suction device according to claim 1 wherein thesuction nozzle is in the form of a block which is provided with asuction opening in one end merging into a slot-shaped suction opening inthe side of the block that is directed toward the fabric, and wherein ashutter is mounted on the reed for closing the suction opening in theend of the block while the block is being displaced in synchronism witha beating movement of the reed.